Badminton rules

July 11, 2003

The International Badminton Federation lists the following simplified rules of the game on the organization's Web site.

Aim: You win a rally if you hit the shuttle - originally a rounded piece of cork topped with feathers, but now a piece of plastic formed to resemble this - over the net and onto the floor of the opposing side's court. A shuttle on the line is considered in-bounds. You lose the rally if you hit the shuttle into the net, or over the net but outside of the opposing side's court. You also lose the rally if the shuttle touches you or your clothing, or if you hit it before it crosses the net to your side.

Serving: The server and receiver stand diagonally opposite each other on each side of the net. The server should stand on the right side of the court, and deliver an underhand serve. The receiver must stand still until the shuttle is served.

Scoring: Matches are comprised of the best of three games. Each game starts at 0-0. If the serving side wins a rally, it scores a point and serves again from the alternate service court. If the receiving side wins the rally, the score remains unchanged and the service passes to the next player in turn.

Winning: In professional badminton, 15 points wins a men's games and 11 points wins women's games.

Players change ends of the court at the end of a game and when the leading score in the third game reaches 8 in a game of 15 points or 6 in a game of 11 points.